Boels-Dolmans welcomes Katie Hall and Eva Buurman

13 August 2018

Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team is excited to announce two new editions to the team in 2019. Katie Hall will come to Europe from the United States, transferring from United Healthcare, while Eva Buurman will return to a Dutch team after representing Trek-Drops in 2018.

Buurman, originally a speed-skater, has shown steady performances in the international women’s peloton this year, winning the young rider classification of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, earning six top-ten places in the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour, finishing 8th in the Women’s Tour GC and rolling across the line in 14th place in the Women’s WorldTour Trofeo Binda.

Plenty of reason for team manager Danny Stam to get in touch with the 23-year-old from the province of North-Holland.

“During the Giro Rosa, I was contacted by Danny Stam, who asked me what my plans were for next year,” said Buurman. “I was really honoured to be considered for Boels-Dolmans. After a meeting with Danny it all felt really good, so the decision was made quite easily actually. I perceive Boels-Dolmans as the perfect team to develop myself as a professional cyclist.”

Buurman’s career has been brief, but she has shown a steep progression throughout the years. “Yes, it has all gone really fast,” reflected Buurman. After winning the Dutch student championships – won by Chantal Blaak in the past as well –, she turned pro with Dutch UCI team Parkhotel-Valkenburg in 2016 which she represented for two years before transferring to Trek-Drops.

“I’m convinced that my year with Trek-Drops has been crucial for me in my development, since I rode a lot of WorldTour races last year, sometimes as the team leader.”

“Danny and I discussed how I see myself progressing further, plus how he sees my role within the team,” said Buurman. “My focus will probably be on the hillier races, but details have yet to be discussed. Foremost, I’d like to take that next step and hope to learn a lot from my new teammates. It’s pretty impressive to become teammates with the current world champion and Olympic champion.”

While Buurman returns to a team in her home country, Katie Hall takes the step to cross the pond and join a European team after turning professional with United Healthcare in 2014. She has represented the American UCI continental team ever since.

In 2018, her best season to date, Hall has won the GC’s of the Amgen women’s Tour of California, the Tour of the Gila and the Joe Martin Stage Race, plus finished 7th in La Course.

“I had a successful season in the US this year, and I am excited to make the jump to Europe with Boels-Dolmans,” said Hall. “I know the transition to Europe can be challenging but this team’s strength, support, and experience will set me up for success.”

“I haven’t raced a lot of the courses that the Europeans know quite well and I want to learn as much as I can from the experiences of Danny and my teammates,” she said.

Hall aready came close to the overall win in the Tour of California before, in 2017, after a tight battle with Anna van der Breggen. In 2019, the two will become teammates.

“My ambitions are to be the best team member I can be and to meaningfully attack other teams' best climbers in the hills and mountains and to put them under real pressure,” Hall explained her plans for next year. “I want to create opportunities for my teammates and to capitalize on opportunities that arise for me.”

Hall and Buurman are the third and fourth confirmed riders for Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team, with Olympic road champion Van der Breggen and world road champion Chantal Blaak both under contract with the team through 2020. More information about the 2019 roster will be confirmed soon.